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In the face of the rapidly changing defence and security environment, states are increasingly struggling to counter conventional and hybrid threats, while also standing by to respond to domestic emergencies. As a result, many states have increased defence spending, sought to boost military recruitment efforts, and developed integrated defence force models. Reserve forces are key components of such models. Building on theoretical and empirical insights from our previous co-edited volume Total Defence Forces in the Twenty-First Century (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2023), we propose an original and systematic examination of reserve forces in the NATO context. 

Objective: Reserve forces are increasingly seen as vital for strengthening national defence, contributing to personnel-intensive responses to national and international crises, as well as reinforcing the links between defence institutions and the wider society. As states seek to adapt their defence policies and practices to new and emerging security challenges, questions about the organization, role and mandate of reserves take on a new sense of urgency and relevance. We are interested in the prospects and challenges of reserve forces within defence and security, as well as the role of reserves for military-society relations.